Price of Free Food
by AdrinaStark
Summary: In desperation to avoid another terrible Thanksgiving, Clarke responds to an advertisement to have someone accompany her. Of course, she gets more than she bargained for (Modern Day AU).


**A/N: **So this is based of a post on Tumblr (I'll attempt to post the link at the bottom) where a guy offers his presence at any Thanksgiving dinner simply to piss other people dinner off all for the price of a meal. I would like to note that I know very little of American traditions (only based on internet searches) or education systems.

As always, I don't own anything. Please enjoy and review.

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><p>Clarke waits impatiently at their pre-arranged meeting place, foot tapping the concrete with equal parts frustration and nerves. The more she waits, the more she wonders if she should call it off, should simply attend Thanksgiving as per usual and do her best to ignore her mother. Maybe she could hide with Wells.<p>

Plus, that would also lower the chance of her being murdered of someone she met on the internet.

She's about to make the call, to blow the deal off when a throat is cleared behind her.

"Are you Clarke?" A voice asks and she does her best to ignore the surge of electricity the voice sends through her as she spins and – _shit _– gets a good look at her fake-date's face.

She's making a terrible first impression with her staring but Bellamy Blake is more than his little advertisement hinted at. His curly hair is dancing in the slight breeze and there's a light dusting of freckles across his gorgeous face. Brown eyes never seem to get enough credit because Bellamy's are dark and entrancing and she hopes he can't hear her racing heart.

If he is a serial killer, he's obviously some male land-locked siren.

Clarke is slightly mollified by Bellamy's reaction and is pleased by the effect of her simple dress, falling just below the knees and although it covers to her neck, her cleavage always seems to be emphasised in one way or another.

She quickly checks over Bellamy's outfit – a tight dark blue t-shirt that makes something inside her clench and faded jeans that are ripped, but Clarke suspects it isn't deliberate.

"Yeah," Clarke says, blushing and awkwardly clearing her throat when she hears how husky she sounds, "You must be Bellamy."

He holds his hand out and it's warm in her own, "Bellamy Blake, a pleasure."

"Clarke Griffin."

Bellamy smiles – an easy smile that her mother would have warned her away from as a teen – before he speaks, Clarke attempting not to get distracted by his voice, "Well, Clarke, what's on the agenda for today?"

Clarke's dumb idea comes back to her with full force, as do her doubts.

"I'm supposed to be at our family friend's house in," she checks her watch, "twenty minutes and for this year, I would like to be anything but the perfect daughter."

"Excellent," Bellamy says, actually rubbing his hands together, "We should come up with a plan as we go. Just checking, the food's going to be good, right?"

Clarke laughs, remembering a time when she actually enjoyed these things, "That's the one thing you can count on."

"That's what I'm here for. Let's start our battle plan, princess."

* * *

><p>"Do you have any sisters for me to hit on?" Bellamy asks as they make their way to the event, Clarke attempting to keep her eyes ahead and not on her attractive fake-date.<p>

"Afraid not."

"Brothers?"

Clarke laughs, something she feels she hasn't done in the longest of times.

"None of those either."

"Damn, I was planning to hit on someone, what about your parents?"

He puts a crack in Clarke's shell at the question, the fragile defence she slowly built to block out the pain.

"My Mom will be there," she answers, hoping he doesn't notice her pause and quickly continues, "But don't worry, it'll be a big party. Senator Jaha always manages to put on a show."

Bellamy whistles, "Political family, huh? This should be more fun than I thought."

"Yeah, Jaha invites the families of his advisors each year. I suppose you'd like to stick it to 'the man'?"

He grins wolfishly, "I wouldn't mind doing that. You do recall that I am in fact, an ex-criminal?"

Clarke frowns, "I haven't – I don't have to worry about that do I?"

He waves airily, "That's in the past, princess, I've paid my dues and all that."

"Right," she draws out the word before continuing, "What's with the nickname?"

"All couples need adorable names to call each other, right? I will accept handsome, babe but not stud-muffin."

She laughs again, surprised by easily he brings it out of her.

"All right, babe," she tries before shaking her head, "No, I can't do it, I'll just stick to Bellamy."

"Your call, princess, anything I need to know about you?"

"I was pre-med before I dropped out, another reason why you're here."

Bellamy nods, "Something else for your mother to focus her attention on, nice strategy."

"Aside from that, right now I'm just working what jobs I can get while I figure out what I want. What about you?"

"I work as a bartender and whatever other work I can scrounge up, that's about it."

"Any family?" She asks curiously, despite her better instincts not to make this personal.

There's a flash of pain in his eyes that Clarke all too easily recognises before it's hidden away and his devil-may-care attitude is back up, "I've got a sister."

"And you're not spending Thanksgiving together?"

"O's boyfriend invited her ago this year and I told her to go. We'll do our own thing later. Which means I get to be here, getting a free meal from you." He shoots her his bright smile again and Clarke is glad for the gentle breeze, cooling the blush she can feel spreading.

They turn a corner and Clarke can see the mansion ahead, "You ready, Bellamy?"

He seems to sense some of her rising panic and places a gentle hand on her back. It should feel intrusive or even strange considering she's only known him for half an hour – maybe – but instead Clarke feels calmer, more in control.

"We've got this, princess. All guests are open season – especially your mother. I will pretend to become increasingly drunk over the day and discuss every controversial topic in the world," he eyes her inquisitively, "Anyone in particular you don't like and want me to pick a fight with?"

A smile tugs at Clarke's lips, "Not that I can think of but I'll keep it in mind."

* * *

><p>The maid looks like she wants to slam the door in their face as she notes Bellamy's appearance and should have steam coming out of her ears as Bellamy winks at her as they pass.<p>

Guests are busy mingling and Clarke recognises many of Jaha's advisors – the Greens, Jordans and _shit_, even the Collins. She hasn't spotted Finn yet and has no intention of seeing him. She is about to tug Bellamy out of the room when her name is called out and her mother pulls her into an awkward hug.

"You're looking well, Clarke," Abby says as Clarke considers when she can break the hug and still be polite, "I guess you have time for yourself now."

Clarke stiffens and she feels a rush of affection for Bellamy, who wraps his arms around both of them.

"It's such a pleasure to meet you, Abby," he says happily, oblivious – or pretending to be – to her mother's disdain, "I feel like I already know you."

Abby pulls back, her opinion clearly shown on her face as she eyes Bellamy.

"I didn't realise you were bringing anyone, Clarke," she says stiffly.

"Well, I didn't want to come without my Bellamy-bear," she attempts to gush as she snuggles into his side. His slight pinch as he wraps his arm around her shows his disapproval of the name as he holds out his other arm.

"Bellamy Blake. It really is awesome to meet you, I can see where Clarke gets her hotness from."

Clarke nearly chokes from holding back her laughter as her mother considers Bellamy's hand, looking like she'd rather be picking up garbage, before giving it a quick shake.

"Perhaps you can show your guest around, Clarke, and we can catch up later."

Her mother spins without waiting for a reply and Clarke sags into Bellamy's side.

"We can go if you want," he suggests quietly as Clarke's head snaps up, attempting to decipher the look in his eyes.

"I thought you wanted the free meal?"

"Sometimes there is too high a price on free food."

Clarke snorts and before she can consider the ramifications, she's grabbing his hand and pulling him into the room, "Come on, Bellamy, we've got people to alienate."

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><p>Bringing Bellamy had to be the best idea she'd had in her entire life, and she'd once decided to spend the weekend eating nothing but food that could be delivered while she rewatched Disney movies in her blanket fort.<p>

So far Bellamy had managed to offend the Jordans, hit on the Green's elderly grandmother until she became flustered and had pretended to drunkenly stumble and spill his wine (actually a mixture of different juices) onto Senator Jaha himself.

She'd had to pull them away, dragging Bellamy away as he profusely apologised, spilling more wine in the process and they had both burst into a fit of giggles once they were safe around a corner.

"Oh my god," Clarke manages to spit out, wiping her eyes, "You should have seen my mother's face."

"Oh, I did," Bellamy chuckles darkly, "If looks could kill."

She observes him for a moment, freed of his mask. With the guests, he pretended to be a clueless idiot and before, he had pretended not to care about his life. As the day went on, Clarke was becoming more and more interested in the real Bellamy Blake. She'd started to catalogue his laughs and smiles, noting which ones were genuine and which ones were fake. Pride stirred in her chest every time she elected a real one.

She hears footsteps coming down the corridor and the words are out of her mouth before she can stop them, "Do you want to be caught in a compromising position?"

A blush spreads over her cheeks when she realises what she's said but before she can apologise, she's been pushed against the wall, strong arms trapping her in place.

Her breath catches as she looks up to Bellamy. His eyes are intense – wanting – and she can't remember the last time anyone looked at her like that, if anyone ever looked at her like that.

"What did you have in mind, princess?" He asks, his voice is deeper – she didn't think that was possible – and the bobbing of his adam's apple shows he might just be as nervous as she is.

He lowers his head and Clarke's chin tilts up in response, her reaction instinctual, "You said platonic, I wouldn't want to-"

Her sentence cuts off as he begins applying kisses to her jawline, "Fuck what I said before, I say, 'whatever the hell we want.'"

Clarke has a quip on her tongue about that motto and his criminal record but it suddenly seems unimportant as Bellamy's lips hover next to hers.

"Oh, there you are, Clarke."

Clarke is distracted from whatever trance Bellamy put her under by the one person she did not want to run into.

Bellamy picks up on the atmosphere and pulls away from her, letting Clarke face Finn.

"Hello Finn," she says frostily, hoping he'll take the hint.

He pushes his hair back and Clarke's mind flashes to a time when did that herself.

"I was hoping to speak with you. Alone," he adds, looking between her and Bellamy.

Bellamy's arm goes around her waist and he presses a kiss her to temple, "You want some privacy, princess, or do you want to take me up on my offer from before?"

Clarke blinks in confusion before she realises Bellamy is offering to pick a fight with Finn simply to make her feel better. Her eyes prickle and she shakes her head, as much as she would like to see Finn punched in the face – would like to do it herself – she wants to be able to handle this a different way.

"I'll be fine," she says with a slight smile, deciding to fake confidence until she actually feels it. Bellamy accepts her decision and claims he'll meet her back with the guests, leaving her and Finn alone.

"What do you want?" Clarke demands, crossing her arms.

Finn steps forward, gesturing and Clarke resists the urge to step away, "I just want to talk, Clarke. I'm worried about you. Your mother is-"

"That's between me and my mother," she interjects, "It has nothing to do with you."

"Clarke, you've dropped out of college, you're gallivanting along with a drunk, if your Dad-"

"No," she declares, jabbing a finger at him, "You don't get to bring him up. You don't get to judge me. You don't get to do anything with me. You made me a cheater, Finn, because you were a coward and I want nothing to do with you."

She brushes past him without a backwards glance, ignoring the little voice inside her that whispered insidiously, that her father would be ashamed.

* * *

><p>Bellamy has a roaring crowd when he finds him, all laughing as he gestures wildly.<p>

"Now, I wasn't going to take that. So I punch them both in the face – I'm not a sexist – and I get knocked behind by the other guy and I thought I was in trouble when out of nowhere, my saviour appears," he waves Clarke over grinning brightly, "Now, Clarke here comes in – kicks one guy in, you know, the painful area, and tells them all to back the fuck off because she's called security. Which was a totally bluff, but the princess totally sold it."

Bellamy laughs and wraps his arm around her shoulder, really getting into the story, "So they run off and I'm attempting to sneak away from this terrifying woman when she turns on me and drags me away. I think I'm done for when she finds a med kit and starts fixing this cut on my face. I say it was that moment I fell for her, but it was probably when she kicked that first guy in the nuts. God, that was hot."

The bell for lunch interrupts Bellamy's story and he waves his arms in dismissal, "Good, talk guys, I'll tell you the rest later."

The crowd disperses and Bellamy's amused expression is replaced by one of concern, "You alright, princess?"

"I'm fine," she says and somehow she is – not completely okay because who actually is, but between leaving Finn and catching up with Bellamy, somehow she feels better. There's a churning in her gut as she considers the possibility that the reason for her change of mood is standing right in front of her.

"How'd you think of that story?" She asks, linking her hand in his as they make their way to the dining room.

"Oh, that," he snorts, "It's how Octavia met her boyfriend – sort of. She got into a bit of a scuffle and Lincoln came along. She turned on him and apparently yelled at him, claiming she didn't need help but he wouldn't leave until she let him look at her wounds. Lincoln was pre-med at the time and now they've been together over a year."

She nudges his side, "You stole your sister's story."

"Please," he scoffs, "O will get a kick out of it and it's a good story. If I was making it up, there would have been ninjas or explosions or something."

"Next time someone asks how we met, please tell them that story," Clarke laughs.

Bellamy shoots her a conspiratorial smile, "You got it, princess."

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><p>Bellamy showed his worth as they were seated as by that point, everyone had heard about the terrible date Clarke had brought and wanted to steer clear. This meant that Clarke could finally sit with people she actually liked.<p>

Bellamy pulls out her chair for her and Clarke cannot help but roll her eyes, dropping the role of the sappy girlfriend.

He's barely seated before Monty and Jasper grab the seats next to him, smiling in anticipation.

"Monty Green," Monty says, holding out his hand, "And this is my friend Jasper, I think you made my grandmother's week."

Bellamy shakes both their hands with a laugh, "It was my pleasure, your grandmother is a delight. What's with the goggles?" He asks of Jasper, who was probably born with them on his head.

Clarke is distracted from Jasper's response by a presence next to her and turns to see Wells eying her with a considering expression.

"You what to judge me today, as well?" Clarke asks between gritted teeth.

He holds his hands up in supplication, "You know I'll support you, Clarke, it's just an... Interesting development."

"And despite it all, I'm happier than I've been in a long time."

Her words surprise her but the biggest surprise is that she means it and not just concerning Bellamy. Dropping out of college was a risky move and she doesn't know what she's going to do but it somehow makes her feel free.

Wells sighs and slouches in his seat, breaking his usual decorum, "I can't exactly argue with that, Clarke, so how'd you to meet?"

A grin spreads over Clarke's face, "Oh, Bellamy tells this story much better than I do."

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><p>Clarke was clapping herself on the back as she ate. Despite some awkward exchanges, she was having a fun time now that Bellamy had scared away most people. Her mother was seated next to Senator Jaha, probably still discussing work matters but Clarke could easily ignore the looks both Abby and Finn were sending her way.<p>

She actually begins to believe that this Thanksgiving may be the best since her father died – maybe even in the top five of when he was alive – before she notes Jackson, her mother's ever-present aide, go to her side and show her something on a tablet. Clarke's eyes narrow as Abby frowns and shoots a glance her way, eyes settling on Bellamy.

She doesn't get much time to worry because Bellamy and Jasper have started their own food fight and Clarke finds out by having a lump of potato flung at the back of her head.

She's exiting the bathroom after – doing the best to get potato and whatever else out of her hair when she is cornered by her mother.

"Out with it," she says with a sigh.

"Do you know your boyfriend is a criminal, Clarke? Really I don't know what is the matter with you – how could you bring him here?"

"I am aware of Bellamy's past," Clarke replies, crossing her arms defensively.

"He shot someone, Clarke, he was in a gang, for fucks sake. What are you doing?"

Clarke's eyes widen before she can stop it and a satisfied look crosses her mother's face.

"So you didn't know, Clarke, honey. I know it's been tough for you but dropping out of college, dating this criminal, it's not helping. I know everything that happened with Finn was upsetting-"

"Enough, Mom," Clarke cuts in, "You want to know why I dropped out of college? It wasn't what I wanted, it was what you thought was best for me. I'm not going to date Finn because it turns out when I did, he already had a girlfriend. And I'll do whatever the hell I want with Bellamy because I am an adult and he's shown he cares more about me in the short time I've known him than you have in – fuck, I can't even remember."

Clarke walks away, leaving her mother calling after her.

Bellamy's face lights up when he sees her, waving her over.

"They're about to serve up dessert, you made it just in time," he pauses when he notices the tears brimming in her eyes, "What's wrong, princess?"

She shakes her head, "Do you mind skipping dessert?"

He wraps his arm around her waist, guiding her out of the door, "Anything you need, princess."

* * *

><p>Clarke had walked blindly, not even considering a destination until Bellamy lead her into a little cafe – miraculously open – and orders her a hot chocolate.<p>

He doesn't prompt her, simply pushes her drink over when it arrives and she is so grateful for it.

"I had a bit of a confrontation with my mother," she admits as the drink soothes her, flooding her with memories of camp fires and blanket forts, "She did some digging on you."

Bellamy freezes, like a deer in the headlights and asks with resignation, "What'd she find?"

"She said you shot someone."

"And you're still here," Bellamy says with derision, "Morbid curiosity?"

Clarke pretends the tone doesn't hurt, "No, I just wanted to hear your side, if you wanted to tell it."

He gazes into his own drink, almost searching for answers before his eyes met hers, anguish and regret clear on his face.

"After our Mom died, I got custody of Octavia. It was a near thing especially since I had never finished High School, I dropped out to cover our bills. But I was already working full-time so before I knew it, I was in charge of my kid sister. Things were going fine for a time but there were debts from our Mom's treatment and education is so expensive and O was starting to get hungry – not that'd she'd ever complain about it."

Bellamy pauses to take a quiet drink, clearing his throat, "I feel in with a rough crowd and I was desperate enough to do what they wanted. A robbery didn't go exactly as planned and I shot a man. I didn't even know what I was doing - it wasn't fatal but it was still terrible. They eventually caught me and O had to go into foster care, she was sixteen but she still had a rough time of it."

He trails a finger on the table, avoiding her gaze but Clarke's eyes never leave his face, "Once I got out of jail I did my best to clean up my act, but I messed up. I drank too much, couldn't hold down a job and O didn't want anything to do with me. It took a lot to put that all behind me and working two dead-end jobs may not seem like an improvement but it is."

Clarke doesn't hesitate as she reaches over to grab his hand, "Hey, Bellamy, is sounds to me like you did the best you could in a shitty situation. You've turned your life around, that's incredible."

A smile appears on his face – it's small, but it's a start – and electricity shoots up her arm as he begins tracing circles with his thumb.

"What about you, Clarke, what are you going to do?"

"Who knows?" She shoots him a sly smile, "But I think it should start with, 'whatever the hell I want'."

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><p>Somehow, it doesn't surprise her that they end up back at his place, although she would have laughed at the person who informed of this outcome a week ago when she replied to his advertisement. Bellamy is currently snuggled into her back, arm draped over her waist.<p>

Clarke's still fighting with her Mom, she's dropped out of college and she's drifting between jobs but somehow, she's happy. She figures that's a good a start as any.

"I'm thankful I saw your idiotic advertisement," she whispers to the room.

"It was genius," Bellamy grunts from behind her, "The food was delicious."

Clarke scoffs and allows herself to be pulled closer, relishing the kiss to the back of her head.

"I'm thankful you wanted to piss off your mother. Now go back to sleep, princess," he mummers sleepily and Clarke allows her eyes to close, unaware of her own smile as she drifts back to sleep.

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><p><strong>AN: **The link is not appearing - sorry about that.

Hope you liked it!

Adrina Stark.


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